There’s nothing unusual about everyday, run-of-the-mill parsley, unless it happens to be its strange, downright freaky relative: Hamburg parsley. This type of parsley has a shockingly enormous root that passes easily for a parsnip.

Parsley root — as it is known more simply — is a hearty vegetable that can be used interchangeably with carrots, turnips, parsnips and celeriac in soups, stews and other dishes. It can also be served fresh, fried, sautéed and baked.

The savory root vegetable — which was going recently at the Union Square Greenmarket for $1.75 a pound — is said to taste like a mix of celery, turnips and parsley topped off with a slightly nutty flavor. It is widely used in central and Eastern European cuisines in soups and meat and vegetable stews and casseroles.

Parsley root goes by a variety of other names, including turnip-rooted parsley, Dutch parsley, Rock parsley, Rock Selinen and Heimischer.

Root vegetables are top of the heap when it comes to nature’s weirder bounty. And now – with the fall season well underway — they’re beginning to make their debuts at farmers markets throughout the city. Pug-like celeriac, bulbous Jerusalem artichokes and other strange-looking root vegetables can be spotted at many farm stands. Ever heard of or seen purple kohlrabi? This unusual vegetable looks like a purple turnip with tentacles. The “alien turnips” were going for $2 a pound at the Norwich Meadows farm stand at the Union Square Greenmarket on Saturday.

Kohlrabi, a member of the cabbage family, is similar in taste and texture to broccoli stems, only milder and sweeter. It can be eaten raw or cooked, but the smaller-sized ones are better. Kohlrabi much bigger than four inches in size tends to be woody, according to Wikipedia.

Kohlrabi is high in fiber and low in calories. One-half cup of the odd veggie has 2.5 grams of fiber and only 19 calories. It also contains potassium, calcium, folic acid and vitamins A and C.

Kohlrabi is anything but alien in Kashmir, where it is served for lunch or dinner three to four times a week.

Hey all you freaky fruitistas: We’ve hit the peak of the freaky fruit season. Things like celeriac, osage oranges and husk cherries are out in force at the farmers market.

Here’s another oddity to add to the season’s crop of unusual vegetables: Romanesco broccoli. The vegetable – a variant of cauliflower – looks like coral. It’s not exactly the type of thing you’d want to eat at first glance. But farmers say it’s less bitter than broccoli and tastes great when steamed or sautéed. Plus it’s rich in vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids. Why not give it a try? The vegetable is going for about $2.25 a pound at the farmers market.